


Flour & Salt

by youweretheanswer



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, F/M, M/M, Ozai's not a total asshole, Period-Typical Homophobia, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, don't worry it's endgame
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24676930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youweretheanswer/pseuds/youweretheanswer
Summary: With Zuko's coronation quickly approaching, Sokka and Zuko need to figure out what their future will be, if there is one at all.(for the OTP prompt generator prompt: zuko is a prince/princess supposed to inherit the throne but really they'd rather own a tiny bakery with sokka.)
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Flour & Salt

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic for a few years so be nice, i know i'm rusty asf lol. if you notice a plot hole just smile and nod

Zuko awoke to harsh sunlight streaming in from his open windows. It had to be about ten, based on the warm heat radiating onto his face. Ten in the morning… didn’t he have something planned for ten? Zuko thought for a few seconds, and then sat up abruptly and exclaimed, “SHIT! I forgot!”

He scrambled out of bed, throwing on the first nondescript outfit he could find in his wardrobe, and after deeming himself presentable, ran out the door as fast as he could. He quickly slowed down as soon as he remembered where he was headed; he had to be quiet if he wanted to escape the palace without Azula seeing and telling Father. Zuko pulled up the hood of his cape as he rounded the corner and dashed for the open front door after making sure no one could watch him leave.

He safely made it out the gates and started jogging to the marketplace. How could he be so stupid that he forget about something he had been looking forward to all week? Zuko started to think of a good excuse before he made it to his destination, but his thinking would have to wait – someone was standing on the front stoop staring directly into his eyes. “If looks could kill,” he thought.

“Sokka, I’m-”

“You know what? I’m not even gonna ask. Just get your ass in here before someone recognizes you under that crap disguise.”

Zuko withered under Sokka’s words and followed him silently into the bakery. Immediately the scent of red pepper bread, hot cinnamon rolls, and spicy fire buns surrounded him and made his mouth water. He fell into a trance for a second, thinking about how hungry he was, then snapped out of it when he felt a pair of blue eyes shooting daggers into his back.

“Look, Zuko, I get it,” he heard from where Sokka stood, “you just didn’t want to come help at the shop today. You could have, you know, TOLD me this yesterday when I asked if that was okay with you. Really, I take no offense, but you know how important today’s order is.” Sokka turned on his heels and headed towards the back of the bakery where Katara and Aang were busy mixing and rolling dough into mini loaves.

“Sokka, no, it’s not like that! I just overslept, really!” Zuko followed after him, keeping a small distance just in case Sokka decided to throw a rolling pin at his head. He instinctively ducked when Sokka raised his arm to scratch at the back of his head, and gave a sigh of relief when he realized he wasn’t actually in danger of being maimed with kitchen tools. “And why are you so upset at me? It’s not really like I have a lot of free time this week, you know what my Father expects of me, and Azula is hiding behind every corner waiting to get me in trouble.”

Sokka sighed and turned to Zuko with a soft smile. “You got me there. I guess I’m just… just a little… anxious? It’s nothing big, don’t worry.” Sokka’s skilled yet calloused hands started to knead the mound of dough before him. Zuko took that as a sign that they’d talk later, when the two other sets of ears in the room would leave on their lunch break.

“Zuko!!” Aang exclaimed when he stopped bending the giant mixer and noticed Zuko standing behind Sokka, wearing the most boring red shirt and pants to avoid being recognized as the crown prince of the Fire Nation. “Are you excited for your coronation this weekend? I know that it’s crazy and all, I mean, Azula hasn’t tried to stop your Father or anything and we have to make all these pastries and bread for the royal ball and –”

Katara cut him off with a sharp look and Aang shut his mouth with a blush. “What I think Aang is trying to say is that it is an honor for us to have been asked to make most of the food for your coronation weekend. If only Sokka would stop letting all the stress get to his head, maybe we would have most of it done by now.” Sokka glared at her, rolled his eyes, and went to check the bread in the ovens.

As soon as Sokka was out of earshot, Zuko leaned over Aang and Katara and whispered, “Do you know what’s up with him? I don’t understand why he is so stressed; he has been asked to make much bigger orders for festivals and other royal events.”

Aang shrugged, and Katara replied, “I don’t want to make you feel bad, but… I think it has something to do with the fact that Sokka won’t really get to see you once you are Fire Lord. I mean, you guys always talked about running off and starting a quaint little bakery together, so I think he is just a little shocked that you accepted your Father’s offer.”

“What was I supposed to do, let Azula become Fire Lord?!?,” Zuko angrily whispered. “Besides, Father is nearing death and I couldn’t do that to him, especially after how much he has changed in the past few years. I know we haven’t always had the best relationship, but he has been making real efforts to get to know me, the REAL me.”

“Less talking, MORE BAKING!!” Sokka yelled from across the shop. “These ovens aren’t going to heat themselves, Zuko!”

Zuko sighed and headed over to where Sokka stood. This was going to be a long shift.

\--------

_Zuko couldn’t believe it. After three years of exile, three years of living with Uncle and drinking tea and playing Pai Sho until Uncle fell asleep, he was finally invited to return to the palace. To return to his childhood home, where all his fond (and not so fond) memories were stored. He wasn’t sure why Father had decided to invite him back now, Zuko hadn’t really done anything to deserve being banished in the first place. But he wasn’t complaining; at least that meant he only had to play Pai Sho every weekend at Uncle’s, not every day._

_Walking down the main road that led to the palace, Zuko reminisced on trips taken to the surrounding marketplace with Mother and Azula. Azula would always do something to torment or scare Zuko, and Zuko would run crying to Mother, where she would scoop him up and wipe his tears away. He missed his mother, missed that constant reassurance she provided. Uncle was a close second in the “comforting presence” area, but he didn’t quite know Zuko the way his mother did._

_He looked around at all the new shops; so much had changed since he left. A new tea shop – Uncle would be happy – and a new bakery stood where abandoned storefronts used to be. The smell of red pepper bread drew him in, and he wandered into the bakery without a second thought. He hadn’t eaten anything since before he boarded the train, and he was starving. A dark skinned girl with blue eyes greeted him as he walked in, and then returned to what she was doing, standing near a small boy with blue arrow tattoos. “An airbender,” Zuko thought._

_Zuko browsed the display cases lined with pastries and other doughy goodness, and finally decided that fire flake doughnuts sounded like a good idea. He looked up to find someone to take his order, and his eyes met a man with the sharpest jawline he had ever seen. His hair was messily pulled back into a top knot, and he had a bit of flour on his cheek. Zuko wanted to reach out and wipe it off. Wait, where did that thought come from?!?_

_“Hey, can I help you?” Hot Boy in Front of Him asked Zuko._

_“Um…,” Zuko gulped. “C-can I get half a dozen fire flake doughnuts?” Hot Boy smirked and gave Zuko a once over. Zuko felt heat rising to his cheeks and imagined a giant spotlight shining on him, as if to say “Look at me! I can’t flirt to save my life!” Hot Boy quickly bagged up the doughnuts, gave them over to Zuko’s shaky hands, and led him down to the cash register._

_“So, are you visiting family or something? Haven’t ever seen you in the shop, and we’ve been a hit with the locals ever since we opened.”_

_“Yeah, something like that,” Zuko said with a chuckle. Not technically a visitor anymore, but it kind of felt like it still. He hadn’t even set foot in the palace; he had no clue what his family dynamic would look like once he returned. Zuko handed Hot Boy his cash and waited for his change._   
_“Hey, did you hear that the prince is supposed to be returning today? It’s been years since anyone has seen him. I mean, we came to the Fire Nation after he left, but still. It’s kind of exciting if you ask me.” Hot Boy seemed to just want to make conversation, and he was much better at it than Zuko was, because Zuko was at a loss for words. Did the entire city know of his return?_

_“Um… yeah, I think I heard something about that,” Zuko mumbled. “T-thanks,” he stuttered as Hot Boy handed him his change. He quickly turned and made a path to head out the door before any more investigation on his identity could ensue._

_“Sokka, by the way. My name, in case you wanted it.” Zuko’s face flushed pink. Was he that obviously attracted to this man? He thought he covered the heart on his sleeve a little better than that. “I just thought you looked like you needed some friends around your age, especially as a visitor. If you ever want to hang out, I’m probably either here or at the house behind us!” Sokka said with a laugh. Was that supposed to be funny? Zuko didn’t know, so he gave a half-hearted laugh in return._

_“Thanks for the warm welcome. I really appreciate it, S-Sokka.” What was with all this stuttering? He hurriedly pushed the door open and picked up the few bags full of clothes and books he had left outside the door. His mind (and heart) were racing. Here, in his own city, was the most handsome man he had ever seen. From his blue eyes, he could tell he was from the Water Tribes. Zuko wondered how he got to the Fire Nation capital – job searching? College? He stopped himself right there. Why did he care so much about Sokka’s past all of a sudden? He’d just met the boy, and he had much more important things to worry about. He set his eyes on the palace, Sokka on his mind the entire walk, and braced himself for what his Father had in store for him._

\---------

Aang and Katara finally left to go each lunch, leaving Zuko and Sokka alone. They were closed for the day because of the large order, so they knew they would have no interruptions of whatever important thing Sokka needed to wait to tell Zuko. Zuko felt Sokka’s stare on him from across the counter, and as he looked up, Sokka’s face softened for a second, then hardened as he looked away.

“Sokka, please. Tell me what I did wrong or I’ll never know!” Zuko ran to cup Sokka’s face. Sokka brought his hand up to rest over Zuko’s and pulled the lither man close to his chest.

“I’m sorry, my love. It’s just that I’m not sure how we can have a future together if you are going to be Fire Lord and I am just some lowly baker. I mean, I would love- no, I need to be with you but…” Sokka trailed off and averted Zuko’s gaze. Zuko felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He knew his decision to take the throne would affect Sokka terribly. A small voice in his head told him that the fate of the entire Fire Nation was more important than Sokka’s happiness, but he quickly swatted that horrible thought away. Sokka’s needs were important too, and he desperately wanted to find a way that he would never have to marry and he could have Sokka move in as the palace baker, where Sokka would sneak to his room every night and kiss on his neck and hold him close as he drifted to sleep and –

Wow. He needed to stop. Even if same-sex marriage was legal in the Fire Nation, how could be possible marry someone with no royal background, with no important bloodline? Zuko didn't want to think about it too hard.

“I know, Sokka. You know how badly I wish things could be different. But the Fire Nation has a long history of prejudice, which, I know, is unlike the Water Tribe. And I know, our plan to run back to the Southern Water Tribe and marry and start our own bakery fell apart in the past month but… but I can’t stand to think of life without you. Here or anywhere. And I mean it. My decision to take my father’s role as Fire Lord has nothing to do with how much I love you and has _everything_ to do with what would happen if Azula was in my spot instead. After what my father did to me, I couldn’t just decline his offer. I feel like I am finally regaining some amount of affection from him, even if in the form of mutual respect.” Zuko leaned his head onto Sokka’s shoulder and sighed. “Why does everything have to be so difficult? Why couldn’t I have been straight, or even a girl, or still banished?” Zuko thought.

The two embraced for a few moments longer until they heard Katara and Aang returning. There was bread that needed to be baked, and little time to do it. Sokka quickly switched from “loving boyfriend” mode to “manager-who-will-fire-you-if-you-step-out-of-line” mode. Zuko had to laugh to himself. Here he was, making his own food for his own coronation ball, not even making any money, and he didn’t even care? He couldn’t tell if his exile changed him or if Sokka just had that kind of power over him. He didn’t have enough time to ponder it; Angry Manager Sokka yelled his name from across the shop, and Zuko started scoring the mini loaves as fast as he possibly could. Sokka had better make it up to him later.

**Author's Note:**

> can they tell time in ATLA?? idk im sure they can somehow. hopefully my fake ass fire nation food makes sense. sokka is an angry lil baker


End file.
